1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of content browsing and more particularly to content browser bookmark based form processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The popularization of the World Wide Web has facilitated the distribution of vast quantities of network content across a wide range of top interests. Whereas merely one decade ago network distributable content could be characterized, catalogued and accessed with some ease through such venerable content distribution systems like Archie and Veronica, today, the sheer volume of content available for review over the Internet far exceeds the capabilities of any one content management technology.
Recognizing the inherent challenges of identifying, locating and retrieving specific content of interest from among the vast content offerings of the Internet, information technology firms developed content searching engines able to identify and index content distributed about the Internet. These content searching engines further provide a computer-human interface through which end-users can keyword search or browse content listings for content which has been indexed by the content searching engine. Once the end-user has located a reference to content of interest, the content searching engine can provide direct access via hyperlink technology to the content of interest.
Still, in many cases, end-users identify, locate and visit network sites containing content of interest, yet later the end-users cannot recall the precise network location of the content of interest. In consequence, end-users can be compelled to continually rely upon content searching engines to locate content of interest, even when the end user already had located the content of interest previously. Though the use of content searching engines can be an effective strategy for locating content, the repetitive use of content searching engines can be a tedious and inefficient method of locating previously located content.
Fortunately, content browsing technologies often include a simple indexing technology for memorizing the network addresses of content distributing locations of interest to end users. Referred to in the art as “bookmarks”, this simple indexing technology, on command, can store the network address associated with content actively viewed through the content browser. Subsequently, the end-user can access a list of indexed and stored bookmarks to retrieve previously viewed content from a network address associated with the stored bookmark.
While bookmarking can be an effective tool for retrieving static content, certain common dynamic aspects of distributable content are not processable through bookmarking alone. Specifically, forms-based processing in network distributable content requires extensive end user interaction in order to complete and submit forms-based content. Thus, for an end-user to capitalize upon the convenience of bookmarking technology when submitting a form, network inefficiencies can arise.
Specifically, first the end-user must retrieve the content containing the blank form. After a first network exchange in which the request for the blank form can be submitted through the activation of a previously stored bookmark, a second network exchange will be required once the form has been completed so that a back end forms processor can process the completed form. Of course, one can store a network address combined with specific forms input in order to reduce the required network exchange to a single volley. Yet, to do so would limit the effectiveness of this hybrid bookmark to a single, specific user. Hence, what is needed is an intelligent bookmarking system in which forms based processing need not require multiple network exchanges.